Ignorance is bliss
Just some thoughts this beautiful day…
I love this statement, ignorance is bliss. I use the word of ignorance in the context of being unaware (not in the context of the typical view of being ‘stupid’). There’s 2 sides to this statement – a person who is not in the know of something – being ignorant of the facts. This will help someone remain in a content/peaceful state. I.e. there is an asteroid coming to destroy earth.. Only a few know. Ignorance is bliss..
The other side of the coin, the one I’m speaking of, is when we purpose to ignore facts in order to remain in our blissful state. Here’s a fine example in my life, and it can be paralleled with many other situations in life: I know there is knowledge out there that smoking causes cancer.
But in order to continue lighting a cigarette, I must turn a blind eye
to this knowledge (refraining from noticing or recognizing.. basically quenching that thought process). I have to
purpose/choose to ignore the facts so that I can be happy or
content with the choice I make to smoke – Ignorance is bliss.. If I
don’t ignore the information and allow it to conceive into my being, then I am convicted by my choices and I have to act contrary to my selfish desires for conviction to stop, or… ignore it again. Since “I like” smoking, I ignore the warnings… I ignore the truth. I know smoking will shorten my life, shorten my life with friends/family, cause heart disease, cause the possibility of taking drugs cuz of heart problems… having to deal w/ its side effects, and the list goes on and on. Why do I make such an unwise choice? Because I ignore the truth to justify the outward actions.. Why would I do that? Cuz “I like” smoking. Selfishness.
The way I see this working in me, ignoring truth will do 1 of 2 things.
It will either give a false sense of happiness/peace/joy/contentment or it stirs up conviction. When I
turn a blind eye towards the truth, doorways to justify what I think, say,
and do are now opened so I can feel better about my choice. Otherwise, I
accept the truth as reality and I am continually convicted whenever I make
the same choice. The conviction continues until 1 of 2 things happen.. I
change the choices I make (repent) or… I fall back again to turning a
blind eye to the truth in order to quench the conviction (ignorance is
bliss….). It’s one state or the other…
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Everyone has formed his own philosophy or viewpoint of the values of
life, which form the basis of conduct. This concept has been gradually
developed as a result of the influences of heredity and environment and
the moral choices which have been made. It is a state of mind as to our
relative importance in the various relationships of life and is seldom
reduced to verbal definition.
It is either according to objective truth and obvious reality, or
according to one’s subjective desires and choices. One’s philosophy and
life must agree or life would be too disturbing to the conscience. One
or the other must be modified. If one insists upon increasing selfish
concentrations, the mind must seek to pervert or distort still further
the sense of one’s own importance or philosophy of relationships..
Moral beings must always formulate reasons for what they do. An outward
act of disobedience is always preceded by a voluntary darkening of the
intelligence as to what is acceptable conduct… If we are determined to
live unworthily in our moral relations, we must first distort our
viewpoint of reality. It is a contest between God’s will and our wills.
==
Deep down inside, there is a morale governing law in my heart that I’m quenching – I don’t want to smoke. Regardless of what “I” think or feel (“I” is the person who is subjectively trying to change the truth..deceptive practices), the truth that cigarettes are bad for me is still truth. I merely paint a pretty picture over the truth that is in my heart, in order to make myself feel better… selfishness.
Romans 6, 7 and 8… Gotta love truth. God bless
